The Music Dial
- Place of Publication: New York City, NY
- Language: English
- Date of Publication: 1943-1945
- Periodicity: Generally monthly
- Editor: Ray Parker
- Publishers: Music Dial Co.
- Lacunae: Missing vol. 1 no. 3. This issue could not be located.Numeration irregularities: vol. 2 no. 1 was published as vol. 1 no. 13.
- Numeration Irregularities: Missing vol. 1 no. 3. This issue could not be located.Numeration irregularities: vol. 2 no. 1 was published as vol. 1 no. 13.
- Type: Full Text
The Music Dial was published at 650 Lenox Avenue in Harlem (currently, 143rd and Malcolm X Boulevard) on a monthly basis between June 1943 and March 1945. The editor, Ray Parker, declared the following as The Music Dial’s prospectus:
To carry on a militant fight to eliminate job discrimination, locally and nationally. To protect the interests of musicians who are in the armed services and defense plants. To create a general agency where talent can be secured. To aid those forces that are waging a fight to raise the economic level of the Common people.
As such, the prime focus of Parker’s journal was to fight unfair labor practices connected with racial discrimination. In editorials in the first and second issues, he expanded upon this prospectus to highlight labor injustices in music, the poll tax on Black citizens, and “American pogroms” committed against Black Americans while drawing parallels with the suffering of Jewish persons in Europe. S. W. Thompson, associate editor, explains that The Music Dial’s mission was to be “non-partisan, but militant” – especially in fighting Jim Crow practices of local branches of the American Federation of Musicians union, as well as undemocratic and racist actions across the musical world. Most issues open with an editorial along these lines: sharply political and seeking to improve the lives and status of Black musicians.
The chief editor, Ray Parker, was a Harlem-based pianist who regularly performed in small, hot jazz groups, and alongside Sidney Bechet, Bunk Johnson, Pops Foster, and others. Associate editors changed somewhat over time and included S. W. Thompson, Frank O. Etheridge, John “Gibby” Gibson, George James, and Jimmy Butts, all of whom contributed articles on issues political and musical. Starting with issue 6, a group of contributing editors is printed, including John Hammond, Ella Fitzgerald, Edward Hana, Anne Ackermann, Doli Armanura, Rudy Powell, Bud Harris, Julius Gishkin, and Walter Gachett. The trumpet player Louie Metcalf, who helped fund The Music Dial, later claimed its circulation to be in the thousands. [Record Research no. 46 (October 1962): 10].
Much of the non-political content centered on the activities of prominent Black artists. Regular correspondents provided musical summaries from Buffalo, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Boston, Hollywood, Montreal, and Texas. In addition, Ray Duran provided information on musical activities in the United States military. Jimmy Butts contributed a monthly summary of musical activities in Harlem, Rudy Powell wrote a saxophone column and Charles Colin wrote on trumpet players and technique. Walter “Foots” Thomas reviewed recordings. Advertisements were found throughout, especially for the various jazz clubs, mostly in Harlem, along with music schools, bands, musicians, restaurants, haberdasheries, cola companies, and more. Photographs of profiled musicians, along with scenes from clubs and performances, are prominently featured.
After regular monthly publication, a two month delay occurred before the final issue was published which the editors note was due to the wartime paper shortage.